About

Science

NAD is an essential coenzyme and a key regulator of cellular metabolism. Best known for its role in cellular adenosine triphosphate (“ATP”) production, NAD is now thought to play an important role in healthy aging. Many cellular functions related to health and healthy aging are sensitive to levels of locally available NAD and this represents an active area of research in the field of NAD.

NAD levels are not constant, and in humans, NAD levels have been shown to decline by more than 50% from young adulthood to middle age. NAD continues to decline as humans grow older. There are other causes of reduced NAD levels such as over-nutrition, alcohol consumption and a number of disease states. Healthy aging, mitochondria and NAD continue to be areas of focus in the research community. In 2017, there were over 150 studies on NAD.

In 2013, ChromaDex commercialized NIAGEN® nicotinamide riboside (“NR”), a novel form of vitamin B3. Data from numerous animal studies, and confirmed in human clinical trials, show that NR is a highly efficient NAD precursor that significantly raises NAD levels. NIAGEN® is safe for human consumption with no adverse side effects. NIAGEN® has twice been successfully reviewed under FDA’s new dietary ingredient (“NDI”) notification program, and has also been successfully notified to the FDA as generally recognized as safe (“GRAS”). Animal studies of NIAGEN® have demonstrated a variety of outcomes ranging from increased NAD levels, increased cellular metabolism and energy production to improvements in insulin sensitivity. NIAGEN® is the trade name for our proprietary ingredient NR, and protected by patents to which we are the exclusive licensee.

ChromaDex is the world leader in the emerging NAD space. ChromaDex has over 140 partnerships with leading universities and research institutions around the world including the National Institutes of Health, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Scripps Research Institute and the Mayo Clinic. Other relationships are currently being developed.